Students in good academic standing at Purdue University in Indianapolis will have a guaranteed paid internship.

Engineering students and industry partners will benefit from investment in experiential learning

The College of Engineering is excited to announce a guaranteed paid internship to Purdue University in Indianapolis Engineering students in good academic standing. As part of an undergraduate degree program, the work-integrated learning experience may come in the form of a co-op or an industry or undergraduate research internship. Purdue’s goal is to see more students participate in internships related to their field in Indianapolis, which will provide them with hands-on experience, improve retention rates and increase the likelihood of launching their professional careers in Indiana.

“We aim to be the top program nationally for experiential learning for engineers, including co-op, internships and EPICS/VIP," said Arvind Raman, the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering. "We are delighted to offer guaranteed paid internships to the inaugural class of Boilermaker engineers at Purdue University in Indianapolis.”

Purdue University in Indianapolis is a fully integrated extension of the West Lafayette campus. Prospective students can expect the same admissions standards and to be part of the Purdue West Lafayette flagship ecosystem and able to participate in student organizations and activities at both locations.

While this guaranteed internship initiative is for the inaugural class in 2024, Purdue is ramping up services to take advantage of co-op and internship opportunities for current students in Indianapolis.

“Students at Purdue University in Indianapolis will benefit by living and studying in a vibrant urban center while pursuing their Purdue University education," said David Umulis, senior vice provost at Purdue University in Indianapolis. "As an extension of Purdue University in West Lafayette, students can simultaneously access the breadth and quality of what Purdue University offers while taking advantage of the local technology and business ecosystem for deep real-world experiences. It’s all about these experiences – both inside and outside the classroom at Purdue University in Indianapolis – that contribute to the shaping of our next generation of business and technology leaders.”

Purdue University is home to a top-10 ranked Co-op and Internship program offering a wide menu of options including undergraduate and graduate Co-op programs, the Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education (GEARE) and new industry-based certificates requiring practical experience in semiconductors and microelectronics and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

With proximity to numerous established and future industry partners, Purdue in Indianapolis students will have enhanced opportunities to participate in programs like Interns for Indiana, which matches entrepreneurial-minded students with Indiana startups and early-stage companies, as well as Learning While Working, which enables students to gain academically relevant work experience through a mixture of full-time work during the summer and part-time work during the semester. All First-Year Engineering students in Indianapolis will gain hands-on experience in solving real-life engineering challenges in partnership with community organizations and industry through the nationally recognized Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) and Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) programs. Students in their first year will also engage in curriculum that builds their professional skills while interacting with industry partners in the classroom. These experiences during the first year will prepare students for future career success. 

Industry partners have expressed an avid appetite for working with Purdue Engineering students and helping to create a career home for Indiana’s best and brightest in the Hoosier state.

“This is an exciting opportunity for students here in Indiana, especially with digital transformation underway and the growing need from industry to have access to talent that have the skills to succeed in a constantly evolving manufacturing industry," said Fred Cartwright, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. 

U.S. News & World Report and corporate recruiters rank Purdue Engineering near the top of their lists as one of the best engineering schools in the country for both academics and career preparation. Purdue's engineers stand at the forefront of industry, education and discovery, with a goal of impacting the world and those who live in it. Purdue is the proud home of the first Women in Engineering program in the United States (1969) and the birthplace of the National Society of Black Engineers (1975).

Purdue Engineering’s track record of success with integrating experiential learning into the development of future engineers is a win-win for students and the Indianapolis engineering, science and technology industries.

Interested students should contact the Office of Future Engineers.